Editors

Controversial Archaeology

Archaeology has enriched our knowledge on the past – illuminating the darkest regions of human history. With continual excavations and chance discoveries, we are continuing to find out more about our ancestors and significant events in our past. However, when certain artefacts have been unearthed, they can cause quite a large stir in the archaeological and non-scientific communities. They can question the validity of long held thoughts and beliefs of events, people and entire civilizations.

The Acambaro figurines are one such example. They were alleged to have been found in Acambaro, Mexico in July of 1944 by Waldemar Julsrud. It is said that he accidently discovered the figurines when he was out riding his horse and hired a local farmer to help dig up the rest of the figurines. Over 32,000 artefacts were dug up, with the farmer being compensated for every piece.

The figurines are a mixture of representations from around the world – from dinosaurs to ancient people, including bearded Caucasians, Egyptians and ancient Sumerians. They are known as ‘out-of-place’ artefacts since they are clearly made by people.

The controversy starts initially with the dating. The figurines underwent Thermoluminescence, or TL dating which gave an estimated date of around 2500 BCE, although Don Patton alleges that he has carbon dating records suggesting a date between 6500 to 1500 years ago. However, it should be stressed that the figurines showed no signs of being in the ground. Other artefacts discovered in Mexico have all been covered in dirt, scratched, and showing definite signs of being in the ground – unlike that of the Acambaro figures. As such, many people in the archaeological community have dismissed the figures as a hoax.

The Acambaro figures have many supporters in Creationist fans. At the time when dinosaurs walked the earth, humans were not yet around. Because of the range of dinosaur figurines in this collection, many Creationists state that they show evidence that the Evolution theory is wrong and gives support to Biblical versions – claiming that humans had actual contact with the dinosaurs.

However, despite this, the Acambaro figures are dismissed as a hoax due to the lack of evidence of being in the ground, the inconsistency in claims of dating and the sheer numbers of figurines.

The story around the Dropa Stones is both fascinating and surrounded by controversy. They were discovered in 1938 when an archaeological team was sent to the Baian Kara Ula Mountains in the region that separates China and Tibet. A series of small caves were accidently discovered at the base of the mountains where the archaeologists found a grave site with depictions of the stars, sun and moon on the surrounding walls.

Archaeologists unearthed bodies which measured around three foot tall with abnormally large skulls. On further investigation, a series of stone discs were discovered, measuring around 12 inches across and featuring a hole in the middle. When they looked closer, they found small engravings on these stones.

716 stones were discovered in the tombs and were sent to various experts. It was a Professor Tsum Um Nui of the Beijing Academy for Ancient Studies claimed that the signs were actually an ancient language and that he had deciphered it. However, he was banned from publishing his theory but went ahead years later.

In this publication, he claimed that the bodies found in the mountains were that of alien people, known as Dropa or Dzopa, who had crashed down on their spaceship. Not able to make the necessary repairs, these aliens tried to live here but the local Ham people killed most. The survivors interbred with the humans, making recognition of the bodies much more difficult. Upon reading his theory, he was ridiculed and was forced to resign. Since then, the Dropa Stones have started to vanish and museums have stopped showing them to the public.